Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a warning to Russian ‘traitors’ and the West.

Speaking in a televised address from Kremlin, the 69-year-old directed his anger at “scum traitors” who he said would be spat out “like a midge that flew into his mouth.”

He also claimed that the West would use “those who earn their money here, but live over there” as a “fifth column” created to divide their society.

“I do not judge those with villas in Miami or the French Riviera. Or who can’t get by without oysters or foie gras or so-called ‘gender freedoms.’ The problem is they mentally exist there, and not here, with our people, with Russia,” Putin said.

“The West will try to bet on the so-called fifth column, on traitors… to divide our society.. to provoke civil confrontation… to strive to achieve its aim. And there is one aim – the destruction of Russia.”

The Russian leader also claimed that the conflict was just a pretext for the West to impose sanctions, saying “they just don’t want a strong and sovereign Russia.”

Putin insisted that the ‘military operation’ in Ukraine is going to plan despite the advances of his troops remaining stalled on the outskirts of Kyiv.

He also said that Russians that “we are fighting for our sovereignty and the future of our children.”

This comes as the economy of Russia sinks further, with the Russian government and companies such as Sberbank, Gazprom and Lukoil potentially about to default on $117 million in interest payments.

The withdrawal of international companies and serious sanctions imposed by many countries across the world has left Russia’s economy rocking.

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